


The Authentic Life COMPLETE STORY

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-24
Updated: 2007-01-24
Packaged: 2017-11-01 07:18:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/353644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>REPOSTING Jonathan and Martha are shocked to discover that Clark and Lex are more than just legendary friends, and Clark's summer in Metropolis is far from gone and forgotten.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	The Authentic Life COMPLETE STORY

## The Authentic Life COMPLETE STORY

by Coren Lee

<http://www.freewebs.com/corenlee/>

* * *

Title: The Authentic Life 

Author: Coren Lee 

Email: coren@tiscali.co.uk 

Rating: NC-17 

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. 

Comments: RE-POSTING in one file and typos in the original corrected. Begins in late fall after Phoenix. Thanks to Jeylan for a fantastic beta, especially as she does not inhabit this particular fandom! Thanks to S. for her perceptive comments about the plot and characterization. If I could have re-written certain sections as she suggested, the story would be the better for it. Any errors, OOC glitches, and the like are all the responsibility of the author. 

Chapter One 

It was one of those warm soft nights in late fall when the city of Metropolis displayed its brightly colored plumage, a whispered memory of hot summer nights before the onset of winter. The leaves quivered on the trees as a light breeze sprang up, their vibrant colors dappled against the warm brickwork of the old houses lining the streets. 

Jonathan had never been a fan of the city, but at this time of year he loved walking along the tree-lined streets of the wealthier parts of Metropolis. He never equated money with happiness, but for once he could allow himself to ignore his instinctive suspicion of affluence and just enjoy the quiet elegance that surrounded them. He and Martha were always too busy on the farm simply to sit back and allow the seasons to wash over them like this. There was always something to do, no time to contemplate the beauties of the fall or take time out to enjoy a romantic walk. 

They'd come up to the city for the week-end to try to put the pain and distress of the summer well and truly behind them, and he was determined to make sure that his wife enjoyed every moment. They'd had dinner at a small Italian restaurant, an old favorite from their college days, and now he was as close to content as it was possible to be after such a stressful few months. 

"Venus", said Martha, pointing out a bright green-tinted light that flickered overhead. 

"Seems appropriate", he smiled back at her. He had never gotten over his luck at winning such a bride, and the more years they spent together, the luckier he felt. Even their distress when they learned they could not have children faded once the miracle of Clark came into their lives. A second miracle, learning at the beginning of the year that after all this time Martha was actually pregnant, was more than either of them could have wished for. If only that wish hadn't been snatched away from them so cruelly by the events of the summer. 

They were both devastated when Martha lost the baby, but they could have borne it had it not also been the catalyst that drove Clark away. Until that moment Jonathan had felt pretty damn good about the way they had reared their alien son. Sure at times it would have been useful if he could have found something like [www.youralienson.com](http://www.youralienson.com/), but Jonathan figured they had almost made it through high school - if not unscathed then at least more or less unscarred - and that's saying something when you live in a place like Smallville and your son is an honest to goodness alien whose superhuman abilities come on line with no warning and even less guidance. Then it all went to hell in a hand basket. Jonathan was better educated than most people realized; he knew what hubris was all about and he couldn't help wondering if his own self-satisfied complacency had somehow attracted the disaster to them. Or maybe it was simply that he wasn't as good at being a father as he thought he was. 

Then there was the whole Kryptonite thing; dangerous, even deadly, to his son. And truth be told, green Kryptonite might kill Clark if there was enough of it, but exposure to even the smallest amount of red Kryptonite led to disastrous consequences. His and Martha's reaction to the loss of the baby might have been the trigger that caused Clark to leave them, but it was the red Kryptonite ring he put on that made him capable of walking away from his family without a backward glance. This was the first time they had felt confident enough to be apart from Clark for a night since he came back to them, and Jonathan still wasn't really happy about it. He might be less concerned if he knew why his son had simply turned up on the doorstep one day, contrite about his absence but saying only that he had been in Metropolis for a few months. 

And as if Kryptonite and a lost summer weren't all he had to worry about, there was Clark's close friendship with that damned Luthor boy. He couldn't exactly say that Lex had been a bad influence on Clark but every time he saw them together he got a twinge of discomfort. Something flickered in his lizard brain that screamed 'danger! warning!', and it was all the more disturbing because he couldn't put his finger on anything specific. Except of course for wondering what the hell the billionaire heir to one of the largest multinational corporations in America could see in a small town farm boy. Yeah, that disturbed him on any number of levels. He knew his son had hidden depths and possessed a brilliant mind that, if he was honest, frightened the life out of him at times, but the Kents had drummed into Clark that he had to keep his abilities secret, and Luthor couldn't possibly know about those things. Hell, Clark even made sure his grades at school were average enough to keep him flying under the radar. 

It bothered him far more than it should whenever he started to ponder what on earth his son and Lex Luthor had in common, and why they seemed to spend so much time together. Jonathan wasn't deaf or stupid and he was aware of the gossip around town about his son's friendship with the Luthor heir, but whenever he mentioned it to Clark, the boy just shrugged and said it wasn't his problem what other people chose to think. There had never been any foundation to the gossip, of that Jonathan was certain, but he wished Clark would be more careful of his reputation. 

Luthor's resurrection a few weeks ago had, if anything, deepened their friendship, and that concerned Jonathan in so many ways. Clark's homecoming, only days after Lex Luthor's dramatic return from the dead, was yet another disturbing twist to the strangeness of it all. If only Clark had been able to talk to them, talk to him, when Martha lost the baby. He was certain that it was his own reaction to the tragedy that sent Clark spinning off out of control, and he could never forgive himself for that. At the time all he could think of was comforting Martha, it never occurred to him that his son would take that to mean that he didn't want to talk to him; that Jonathan somehow blamed him for the accident. It made his son's closeness to the Luthor boy hurt all the more, especially as Jonathan was painfully aware that Clark was keeping him at arm's length. He felt he had somehow lost a battle for Clark that he hadn't even been aware he was fighting. 

With that disconcerting ability she had to read his mind, Martha gave his arm a small squeeze. 

"You know he'll be fine," she said. "It's not the first time we've let him stay with Lex in Metropolis." 

"I know." 

She squeezed his arm harder. 

"I do, really. I'm not worried." 

"You never could lie to me worth a damn, Jonathan", her smile taking the sting out of the words. "But you have to relax. There's no harm in them going to the opera together, and we can't keep Clark hidden in Smallville forever." 

Jonathan was forced to agree, despite his personal misgivings that anything from a Luthor came with more strings attached than Pinocchio. His real fear though was that Clark was back in Metropolis at all. Their son had never told them what he did here during the summer; tactful questions had been deftly turned aside, anything more probing resulted in Clark simply ending the conversation and walking away. They were too afraid of losing him again to push it, but Jonathan had put together enough pieces to know that Clark's summer in the city included a number of things that could get his son jailed for a long time. 

"You're right," he said, "I know that. I'll stop worrying about it, I promise." 

Good as his word he pushed his fears aside, shoved the painful memories as far out of his conscious mind as possible, and just focused on enjoying this wonderful moment with Martha. He managed well enough, and in companionable silence they turned a corner and passed into one of the most fashionable retail districts in Metropolis. A square of lawn with a fountain at its centre was surrounded on all sides by wide, quiet streets, containing some of the most exclusive shops and restaurants the city had to offer. He had no desire to be included on the 'A' list of favored patrons, but the quiet elegance of the district provided a soothing atmosphere to relax for a while. He was about to suggest that they watch the world go by from the comfort of a park bench near the fountain when he saw something that stopped him dead in his tracks. 

"Jonathan?" 

Martha sounded puzzled, and a little concerned. For the first time Jonathan really appreciated the phrase 'struck dumb'. He tried to reassure her that he was still living and breathing, but nothing was coming out of his throat. Not even a strangled squeak. Fine, fine, he could do this. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in... OK, he's got it now, his lungs are working again. The heart must be working too because something has to be causing that pounding in his chest. Voice? Apparently not, as Martha is still looking at him with concern on her face. Movement, can he do movement? Great, that's his hand he can see pointing, so he can do movement. Martha looks at where he is pointing, and he knows the exact moment that she sees what stunned him because he feels her grip his arm so tightly that it would have been painful under any other circumstances. 

"No, it can't be..." Martha shook her head, looked at Jonathan. 

Standing on the pavement outside one of the most exclusive restaurants in the district was... Clark. And not just Clark; he had his arm around one of the most elegant women that Jonathan had ever seen. She was tall and slender, and had a stunning array of golden blonde hair coiled in an elaborate style that emphasized the grace of her neck and shoulders. Bare shoulders. Bare shoulders displaying pale, creamy skin, leading down to her gently rounded... okay, that's far enough, he doesn't need to go there. As he made a supreme effort to get himself under control, a Lamborghini rolled up to the front of the restaurant. With perfect manners Clark helped his - date? - into the passenger seat, and then walked round as the valet leapt out of the driver's seat and held open the door for him. Clark tucked what Jonathan assumed was a tip into the valet's hand, and from the valet's response it was more than a good one. As the door slammed shut, the Lamborghini screeched off in a style worthy of Lex Luthor himself. There was just time to see the license plate as the car disappeared in the distance: Kal-El. 

Any vague hopes that Jonathan had mistaken the identity of the driver disappeared. Clearly it was Clark, and just as clearly he was about as far from spending an innocent night at the opera with Lex as it was possible to get. There were so many questions he didn't even know where to begin. 

He saw Martha shake herself like a sleeper coming out of a bad dream. "Give me your wallet, quickly!" she muttered. 

He was too bewildered even to think about why she wanted it, and somehow he got his hands to move sufficiently to pass it over to her. Following her as she trotted over towards the valet, he had absolutely no idea of what she had in mind. 

"Excuse me", she called out, a little breathlessly. 

The valet stopped just as he was about to enter the restaurant, and walked back into the street to meet them. 

"The man that just got into that car? He dropped his wallet," she said, "is there any way you know that we can get in touch with him to return it?" 

Jonathan was left in awed admiration yet again. He would never have thought of that in a million years, let alone seconds after the sort of shock they'd just had. 

"I heard him say something about going on to Planet Krypton, so perhaps you could catch him there?" 

"Excuse me?" 

Jonathan was glad Martha was handling this discussion. He didn't think he could have managed even a strangled squeak at this point, let alone words with more than one syllable. 

"Planet Krypton. Hottest club in Metropolis, two blocks that way," he said, pointing away from the garden square. "I guess you guys are from out of town, huh?" 

"Yes, we are," admitted Martha, "though even if we lived in the city I doubt we are the sort of people who would get into the hottest club in Metropolis." 

"Yeah, you got that right," he laughed, "I'd give my tips for a week just to get into that club for one night." 

"Really?" Jonathan thought it was about time he joined the conversation. "So, it's expensive? I mean, I'm guessing your tips are pretty good?" 

"Yeah my tips are pretty good," said the valet. He gave them a quick grin. "The guy whose wallet you have there? He gave me a Ben Franklin, and most of my customers give me a fifty at least, but it's not the cost of getting into the club, it's that you're only allowed in if you're a member or your name appears on the guest list. Me? I stand no chance." 

"A hundred dollar tip?" Jonathan didn't think he was ever going to get over that. 

"Man, it's how those wealthy boys live. You don't think that car comes cheap do you? Dropping a hundred for a tip isn't even small change to guys like him." 

Before Jonathan could process that thought the door to the restaurant opened, and another couple made their way outside. The valet slapped Jonathan on the back. "Gotta go, duty calls." 

Jonathan watched as the valet headed off, and then turned to stare at Martha only to find his confusion mirrored back at him. Somehow it relieved him to discover that she was just as thrown by it all as he was. Made him feel less like he was standing on quicksand, every step threatening to submerge and suffocate him. 

"OK, so we know where he's probably going - what do we do?" Jonathan scratched his head, oblivious to the relevance of the act. "Planet Krypton? How the hell does a club in Metropolis get named Planet Krypton? That has to be Clark's doing, but..." Jonathan stuttered to a halt. 

"Let's go," she said. "We'll work something out when we get there. Whatever we do we can't just walk away from this. Two blocks he said, in that direction. Come on." 

Chapter Two 

"You know there's a speed limit, right?" 

Clark glanced over, trying to decide whether to be offended or amused. It took all of five seconds before he heard a husky contralto snigger. 

"I can't believe I just said that." 

"Me either, I always thought you wrote the book on driving beyond legal limits." 

"Yeah, well I guess dying does make you re-evaluate your life choices a little." 

"You didn't die Lex, stop saying that. Every time you say it, it reminds me of how close I came to losing you. I can't handle it, please." 

Clark was gripping the steering wheel so tightly he felt the metal give slightly. He willed himself to relax, and took a couple of deep breaths to focus. He was aware of Lex looking at him; he could always sense when his lover was giving him his full and complete attention. 

"Yeah, OK, I'm sorry." Lex smoothed his hands over the silk of the dress he was wearing. Clark knew that mannerism well, and understood that Lex was as disturbed by their forced separation as he was, he just dealt with it differently. 

They never appeared together in public without one of them being in disguise. Lex's face was far too famous, so they came up with the perfect strategy: when Clark was himself, his partner was Alexa, an elegant blonde. When Lex went out, his girlfriend was the tall and imperious Cique, a raven-haired beauty who turned heads wherever she went. Not a few of Lex's old crowd had asked if Cique would play with them, but she made it plain she had no interest in anyone other than Lex. It worked brilliantly, and no-one had ever connected the two of them publicly. Speculation was rife in the gossip columns about the identity of the mysterious beauty so often seen in Lex Luthor's company, but as she really didn't exist no-one had ever been able to get any information about her. 

Only a few minutes after leaving the restaurant Clark steered the car into a narrow back lane, and as they approached a roller door, he used a small remote control to activate it. Clark waited until the door had opened far enough for the car to slip into a private underground garage. He parked in a marked bay, and as the roller door clanged shut, he went around to open the passenger door, acting as the perfect escort. 

"You're such a gentleman," Lex teased, "it isn't easy getting out of a low car while wearing a tight dress and stiletto heels." 

Clark pulled his lover into a tight embrace and pushed him against the car as he kissed him hungrily. "Do you have any idea how amazingly sexy and hot you look in that outfit? If I didn't love you so much as a man, I would be totally besotted with you as a woman." 

"So, are you going to ravish me in the parking garage, or are you going to change into something more comfortable and give me a night of debauchery in the club?" 

"How about I do both? We don't want anything to spoil the beautiful lines of that dress." 

As he was speaking, Clark was sinking to his knees, nuzzling the erection that was thrusting itself against soft silk. With a quick movement, Clark lifted the dress up to Lex's waist and pried loose the binding thong so that his mouth could get free, unfettered access. He never tired of this, the feeling of taking something so perfect in such an absolutely intimate way, and the fact that it was happening in such a mundane location somehow added to the thrill. 

It was almost a religious experience as the love he felt for Lex was transformed from its usual intense devotion into an all-consuming passion. His long practice and total familiarity with his lover's body allowed him to offer a pleasure so intense that Lex was soon gasping on the brink of orgasm, only able to hold back from release by sheer willpower. At exactly the right moment, Clark used his tongue at super speed and pushed his partner beyond the point of no return, then pulling back slightly to make sure he could swallow the cum without dribbling onto the silk stockings. 

Clark gently cleaned and released the now soft cock and helped to straighten the dress and get the thong back into position. Lex was still looking a little glazed, so Clark put a strong arm around his waist as they made their way over to the elevator. A quick swipe of a security card opened the door, and another swipe of the card activated a keypad. Clark tapped in the code, and the elevator bore them swiftly away towards the private floor above the club. 

They stepped out into a quiet, plush carpeted hallway. There were several large, heavy looking doors leading off to the right and left, but they ignored all these and headed down to a big set of double doors directly opposite the elevator, which led into a large, elegant bedroom. Clark walked into a closet and grabbed a few items, which he then brought out to Lex, holding them up, seeking opinions and decisions. 

"Those pants, yes. I love you in those pants." 

Clark dropped a pair of soft leather pants onto the bed, and then held up a selection of shirts and tank tops. 

"Hmmm, I like that green silk, it matches your eyes, but the silver mesh makes you look like a walking wet dream." 

Clark rolled his eyes and waited patiently as Lex tried to decide. 

"Okay, the silver mesh. Go with the silver." 

Clark hung the rejected items back in the closet and stripped. The black leather pants that Lex had chosen fitted him like a glove and laced up at the side as well as front and back, so commando was the only option. He fastened the laces, and then slipped the lightweight silver mesh tank top over his head. It barely covered his midriff and left his arms bare, and according to Lex, it set off the golden brown of his skin perfectly. A pair of soft leather boots completed the outfit, and after brushing some glitter onto his eyelids and cheekbones, Clark was ready to go. Lex had taken the opportunity to refresh his own make-up, and as Clark joined him, his eyes were drawn to their reflection in a large floor to ceiling mirror. 

"You know," said Clark, "every time I see you I get a little catch in my heart, just like it's stopped for a moment, stunned by the sheer beauty and magnificence of you." 

"Wow, you sure know how to compliment a girl." 

Clark didn't want to drag his eyes away, but he smiled at the quip and offered his arm. "I also know how to give a girl a good time", he smirked, "so let's go if you want to do anything about that debauchery you mentioned earlier." 

The elevator to the club floors below needed only a security code, and in no time they were heading out of the small quiet space into total sensory overload, a virtual wall of sound and light. The club was designed in a circular style with small satellite areas, each with its own dance floor. Bodies were writhing and jerking to the pulsating rhythm controlled by DJs strategically located around the club, and Clark felt his own blood pumping as he allowed the sound to wash over him. He hadn't told the Kents that he had gotten involved in the club scene during the summer, and he never knew whether Chloe or Lana had said anything after they each stumbled upon him in some club or another. He couldn't even remember which club, but as the Kents had never asked him about it he figured the girls had kept his Metropolis social life to themselves. 

Clubbing had been his lifeline to sanity. In the depths of his despair, when he thought that Lex was gone forever, he was able to lose himself for a while, caught up in the mindless fever of a pulsing beat and thrashing bodies. It dulled the pain for a few hours, and allowed him to escape from the misery that was his life without the man who meant everything to him. His criminal activities brought him wealth and possessions, but clubs brought him peace of mind, even if it was only temporary. 

Clark had acquired this club in a deal from crime boss Morgan Edge, and spent some money on remodeling and re-launching the place as Planet Krypton. Lex's influence had taught him how to make something exclusive and trendy, and in no time Planet Krypton had become the most sought after club in Metropolis. 

They made their way to a table on the private deck that overlooked one of the satellite areas. A bottle of champagne was already waiting for them, nicely chilled in a silver ice bucket. Clark had learned a few things about appearances, some from his partner, some from his experiences in Metropolis's underworld, and one of the things that he made sure of was that as the club's owner, he and his guests were given the best service money could buy. Truthfully, it was better service than money could buy, because no-one wanted to risk losing their job at the hottest and most exclusive club in the city. 

Clark poured the champagne into the chilled crystal flutes, and gave his lover a lingering kiss before they both swallowed their drinks. 

"Love you, Lex." 

"Love you too, Clark." 

Lex put his glass back on the table and then gracefully turned until he was facing Clark, kneeling over his lap so that their groins were almost touching. Clark felt strong hands gripping his shoulders, and he leant in for the kiss that was being offered. It seemed to go on and on, Lex's tongue mapping his mouth as if he was learning its contours in order to answer questions later. Despite the passion, a presence at his shoulder intruded on Clark's awareness and he reluctantly pulled back to see who had the balls, or the stupidity, to interrupt them. 

"What?!" he snapped, giving the Floor Manager, Damian, a glare that would have done justice to the face of an aggrieved Luthor. 

Lex leaned back slightly, but didn't move away from kneeling over Clark's lap. 

"I'm very sorry to intrude Sir, but that couple over there said it's very important that they speak with you." 

Clark didn't even bother to look where Damian was pointing. 

"Let me get this straight. You interrupted us because someone wants to speak to me. You thought that was a good enough reason to intrude?" 

"Sir, I do apologize, but they were so insistent." 

Clark could feel the anxiety coming off Damian in waves, so he made an effort to restrain his temper. He was a first-class Floor Manager, and after the initial surge of annoyance, Clark silently acknowledged that he wouldn't have disturbed him unless there was a good reason. 

"Fine," he sighed, "it's OK Damian, who are they?" 

"Over there sir, standing on the gangway that leads to the offices." 

Clark looked in the direction indicated by Damian, straight into the eyes of Jonathan and Martha Kent. 

"Fuck!" 

Chapter Three 

Jonathan was feeling more like Alice in Wonderland every passing moment. Martha had managed to get them into the club by concocting a story about looking for an under-age son who had managed to get himself involved with an older member. Brilliant really, no club would dare to ignore a parent who insisted that an under-age child had gained access somehow, but having got into the club, the sights and sounds that confronted him were simply overwhelming. At any moment he expected to see a white rabbit dashing past, or at the very least a grinning Cheshire Cat. 

"People actually do this for fun?" he shouted at Martha as they were taken to speak to the Floor Manager. 

She smiled at him but didn't try to compete with the decibels being pumped out by what looked (and sounded) like industrial strength speakers. 

They were taken to an area that was slightly protected from the wall of sound, a gangway that appeared to lead into a private area. Jonathan was more than happy to leave any conversation in Martha's capable hands, and started scanning the club to see if he could spot Clark or the woman he had been with at the restaurant. At first all he could see was a writhing mass of bodies and almost gave it up, but just as he was about to turn back to Martha, his attention was drawn towards an imposing god-like figure wearing skin tight leather pants and a skimpy silver tank top striding through the crowd as if he owned the place. Which, on reflection and taking into account the name of the club, Jonathan realized he very well might. 

He nudged Martha, "he's over there". 

She followed the direction of his nod, and again Jonathan could tell the exact moment when she located Clark by a widening of her eyes and a tight grip on his arm. 

"We must speak to that man," said Martha, pointing to Clark. 

Jonathan was watching the Floor Manager closely, and he saw the guy pale and shake his head. 

"I'm sorry Madam, but that's not possible. It's more than my job is worth to intrude when Mr. Alexander is in the club with a guest." 

"Mr. Alexander?" 

"Yes Sir, Mr. Alexander is the owner of the club. We all have very strict instructions not to disturb him; I really can't intrude on his evening." 

"Look, I can guarantee that he'd be a lot more upset if you didn't let him know we were here." 

Jonathan could hear the steel in his wife's voice, and almost felt sorry for the Floor Manager. It was plain he was scared to death of ignoring the orders he'd been given, but Martha was letting nothing stand between her and her son. He had to wonder just how Clark managed to inspire such fear in his employees; then again, perhaps he was better off not knowing. He was so far out of his depth here he couldn't begin to make sense of any of it. Perhaps the bottle of wine they'd had with dinner had actually been labeled "Drink Me" rather than "White Zinfandel", and he really was going to bump into the white rabbit at any moment. It made about as much sense as anything else. He shook his head and refocused on the Floor Manager, who seemed to be weakening under Martha's considerable powers of persuasion. 

"Please," she added, "just let him know we're here. If he doesn't want to talk to us that's fine, just point us out to him." 

The Floor Manager shook his head, but with a resigned look that confirmed he was going to do as Martha had asked. 

Jonathan watched him make his way back into the main part of the club, and then turned his attention back to Clark. This time he noticed that the woman from the restaurant was still with him, she and Clark toasting each other with champagne flutes before swallowing the contents as if it was water. And there was another incongruity for Jonathan to wrap his brain around. Clark had never seemed to enjoy wine or champagne when they had allowed him a glass, and took only tentative sips. He closed his eyes briefly trying to recall an image that wasn't an affront or challenge to his fondly held beliefs about his son, and then as he opened his eyes again, wished he'd kept them firmly closed. Clark's date had not only climbed into his lap she seemed to be fucking him on the spot, or at the very least, she was giving him a very enthusiastic tonsillectomy. It was like watching a car crash or train wreck. Jonathan's brain was giving him very definite orders to stop watching and stop watching now, but he just couldn't turn away. He saw Clark's hands caress her lower back, and then drift down over her flat buttocks to the tops of her thighs, where he started to lift the short (very short!) skirt up to reveal stocking tops and garters. 

"Jeezus Martha, he looks like he's going to take her right there on the floor!" 

Jonathan was not an especially religious man, but he offered a fervent prayer to any deity who was listening that the Floor Manager could reach Clark before he got onto whatever he'd planned to do next. It was obvious from the tension vibrating from the Floor Manager that he really, really, didn't want to be doing this, but thankfully he managed to attract Clark's attention and Jonathan watched a quick verbal exchange take place. Clark's girlfriend (maybe? possibly a paid escort) leaned back slightly as the Floor Manager was speaking, so Jonathan had a clear view of Clark's face. He watched his son make an obvious effort to suppress his annoyance at being interrupted, and then time slowed as he saw the Floor Manager point in their direction, and Clark's head turning, coming to stop when he was staring directly at them. 

He winced when he saw what Clark said the moment he realized they were there, and hoped Martha hadn't seen it. He chanced a glance at her face. Nope, she'd seen it alright. There was no mistaking that pinched look around her mouth and eyes. He almost echoed his son's expletive, but managed to bite it back. 

As Clark exchanged a few more words with the Floor Manager, the woman (who was still in his lap!) turned to look at them. She gave them barely a glance, but Jonathan had the distinct impression he had been surveyed, catalogued, and priced. The Floor Manager was on his way back to them now, but Jonathan kept his attention on Clark. He and his girlfriend (or whatever she was) were having an animated discussion, but they didn't seem to be arguing. 

At that moment the Floor Manager returned to them and said, "Sir, Madam, please follow me. Mr. Alexander will meet with you in his private office in a few moments." 

Jonathan felt Martha's hand take his, and knew that despite her determination to locate and confront her son, now that it came to the moment she was desperately afraid. He could feel the slight tremor of nerves and gave her hand a gentle squeeze as if to say, 'it's okay, I understand, this is not going to be easy.' 

They were taken through some security doors into a long corridor, the sound of the club dropping away almost to nothing as the doors closed behind them. 

"Thank God for that", said Jonathan with feeling. "How the hell do you put up with that noise all that time?" 

"You get used to it". 

Okay, obviously not into small talk. They made their way almost to the end of the corridor, and then through a heavy wooden door on the left into a large room. 

"Please wait in here, Mr. Alexander will be with you shortly," he said, and flicked a switch somewhere that made the room glow with softly hidden lighting. 

Left to their own devices they stood uncertainly in the center of the room, staring but not confident enough to walk around in case they damaged anything. 

"Does this remind you of anywhere?" murmured Jonathan. 

Martha nodded. "Lex's office at the Castle. In fact I think some of the artwork is from there." She paused for a moment before adding, "do you think we should be concerned about that?" 

"On a scale of one to ten compared with everything else that's happened tonight? No, probably not," he sighed. "Come on, we might as well get as comfortable as we can." 

He led Martha to a soft leather couch, placed at right angles to two high back leather armchairs. A pale marble coffee table stood at the center, a vase of fresh orchids the only decoration. 

Jonathan was getting more nervous by the moment, not even close to working out how to deal with this situation. He remembered how earlier in the evening he'd been thinking that it would have been handy if Clark had come with a user manual; at this point he would have been grateful for an instruction card. 

He heard the door open, and took a deep breath as he stood to greet his son. And his son's girlfriend... what? It had never occurred to him that she would be included in this meeting. 

"Clark, son..." Jonathan paused, wondering how to ask the woman to leave without being blunt about it. 

"Alexa stays." 

Right. Okay, Jonathan had heard that tone in Clark's voice before. It was the 'we are doing this my way or we're not doing it all' tone, but despite that, he had to try. 

"Son, this is a family discussion, I don't think it's appropriate for this woman, whoever she is, to be here for that." 

"Clark, you were supposed to be with Lex!" For once Martha sounded the less understanding of the two of them. "How could you deceive us like this?!" 

Jonathan was more than surprised when the woman took a step forward, and slipped her arm through Clark's. If the look on his son's face was any guide, he was surprised too. 

"You don't have to do this," Clark said. 

"Yeah, but we both knew this day would come sooner or later. Might as well get it out of the way and have done with it." 

A little niggle started to worm its way into Jonathan's brain. Finally getting a chance to see the woman close up, he looked past the elaborate hairstyle and the elegant clothes and... 

"Lex?" 

"Got it in one, Mr. Kent." 

"What the..." Jonathan stuttered to a halt. 

Martha hit the ground with all synapses firing. "Lex? Why are you dressed as a woman? And more to the point, why were you kissing Clark? Are you two together? As in dating? Is this why you're calling yourself 'Mr. Alexander' Clark? And what on earth are you wearing? It's almost obscene! And is that make-up on your face?" 

In any other circumstances Jonathan might have found it amusing that Clark and Lex were being subjected to the full Martha onslaught, but he was still too disoriented with the speed at which all this had happened to enjoy it. He might try to remember it for later though, that could be worth an amusing moment or two. The autocratic Lex Luthor wearing a silk dress, being told off by a farmer's wife from Smallville. Oh yeah, that would give him a warm feeling on cold winter nights! 

"Look, I understand you have questions, and we're quite prepared to talk about this," said Clark, "but we have plans for tonight, and those plans do not include discussing our relationship with you. This can wait until tomorrow." 

Clark walked over to the desk and pressed a button. Within seconds the door opened and the Floor Manager joined them. 

"Damian, please escort Mr. and Mrs. Kent to the garage and ask Bernard to drive them to their hotel. He is to collect them again tomorrow at 12.30 pm, and bring them to the apartment here." 

"Yes Sir. Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent, please come this way." 

Jonathan had no intention of being dismissed like some unwanted inconvenience, and there was no way in hell he was going to allow his teenage son to treat him like this. That 'my way or the highway' tone was back in Clark's voice, but there was only so much crap Jonathan would take before he shoved back. 

"Now hold on a moment..." he started, but Martha gave his arm a tug, and he allowed himself to be towed along as she followed Damian out of the room. He wasn't happy about it, but when he thought about it he figured Martha was probably acting sensibly and it would do no good to force a confrontation right now. They needed some time to process this latest revelation - and God, not to mention the rest of the shocks this night had thrown at them. 

They followed Damian into an elevator, and only Martha's vice-like grip on his hand betrayed just how tightly she was keeping her emotions under control. The elevator door pinged open upon an underground garage, and they followed Damian to a sleek black Mercedes sedan. As they approached, a uniformed chauffeur got out and opened the back door for them. 

As they settled into the car, the door closed with a soft 'thunk', and in no time they were gliding out of the parking garage and into the night. 

"Where are you staying?" 

"Um, at the Parkview, do you know it?" Jonathan was pretty certain the driver would know every hotel in the city, but theirs was considerably down-market for someone who drove a car like this around for a living, so he thought he'd better check. 

"Sure, nice little place in the quiet part of town." 

They drove in silence for a couple of miles, but Jonathan was aware that every so often the chauffeur - Bernard? - was checking them out in the rear view mirror. Any moment now, he thought to himself, any moment... 

"So, how well do you know Mr. Alexander?" 

He'd been expecting the question, but he wasn't sure he knew how to answer it. If he'd been asked a few hours earlier how well he knew his son, he would have said that he knew him inside out and back to front. Now, with the inescapable knowledge that he was involved in some kind of relationship with Lex Luthor and owned the hottest nightclub in Metropolis, well, he had to admit to himself that he didn't know his son at all. 

"Not well." Martha's voice cut into his thoughts. "He very kindly offered your services to drive us back to the hotel and pick us up tomorrow, but we don't know him well at all." 

"Okay, it's just that I don't get the impression he goes out of his way very often to do favors for people, you know what I mean? I figured you must be folks who've known him a while. He's a bit of a mystery, that's all." 

"A mystery?" she said, "in what way is he is mystery?" 

"I guess you could say he's one of the most private, self-contained guys I've ever worked for. He isn't in Metropolis a lot, but when he's here he's, you know, focused. Nothing seems to distract him from whatever he's doing at the time. Well, nothing apart from his girlfriend, Alexa, that is. She distracts him big time," he smirked. 

"Really. How does she distract him?" 

Bernard must have picked up on the cold tone in Martha's voice, because he glanced in the mirror saying, "nothing, forget I said anything," before turning his attention back to the road. The rest of the journey passed quickly, and in silence. They drew up to the main entrance of the Parkview, and Bernard opened the door for them to get out. 

"I'll be back here tomorrow at 12.30," he said, "goodnight." 

"Goodnight, and thanks for the ride," replied Martha, still holding Jonathan's hand tightly. 

They made their way to their room, both lost in thought. 

"Sleepy?" he asked. 

"The way I feel at the moment, I don't know whether I'll ever sleep again," she admitted. 

"Come on," he said, "shower and bed. I have a feeling tomorrow's meeting is going to be tough on all of us, and we should get as much rest as we can." 

Chapter Four 

Lex watched the Kents follow Damian out of the office. In some ways he was pleased that they'd been discovered, but he was already plotting contingencies and damage control in case the shit hit the fan when they met tomorrow. 

"Well, that could have been worse," he said, giving Clark's arm a squeeze. 

"How do you figure that?" 

"Well, I still have all my body parts attached, no-one tried to shoot me, I don't have a concussion, and we still have the rest of the night for that debauchery I mentioned earlier." 

Clark wrapped his arms around his lover, and chuckled. 

"God I love you," he said. "Nothing ever fazes you, does it?" 

"Not much", he admitted, "but then being adaptable is something of a survival trait in the Luthor family. If life throws us lemons we don't make lemonade so much as launch a trendy new beverage and market it to the masses." 

"So, Door One, back to the club? Or Door Two, straight to the apartment?" 

Lex was tempted to choose Door Two, but he could feel the tension running under Clark's skin and decided that the debauchery could start with some hot frantic body moves on the dance floor. 

"Door One, I think", he said, "I want to watch you writhe in those pants before I rip them off you." 

Clark's answering grin was proof that he had made the right choice. "Let's go." 

Walking back into the club was like stepping into sound made flesh, the strobe lights picking out scenes that could have come straight from Hieronymus Bosch. Of course it was all legal - well, more or less legal at any rate. Clark made sure that the staff kept anything blatantly illegal out of sight, but one of the reasons that the club was so popular was that pretty much anything could be bought or negotiated in private rooms, and the paparazzi had no access to anything that went on inside Planet Krypton. Clark went to extreme lengths to protect the club members who showed their gratitude in many ways, not least by paying the exorbitantly high membership fees and gulping down overpriced drinks by the gallon. 

Lex followed Clark through the mass of bodies, yet again marveling that his lover seemed so completely oblivious to the effect his physical presence had on people. It had taken him months to convince Clark that he was sexually and physically attractive. He knew that Clark despised the way that Lionel made Lex feel unworthy, but he was just as angry at the way that the Kents had made their son believe he was unattractive. 

It was a revelation to watch Clark here, for once not hunching his shoulders or trying to appear smaller so that he could fade into the background. It was like watching a captive tiger realize the door to its cage was open. The power that had been kept under restraint just surged free, muscles rippling as the tiger prowled out to freedom. Never had William Blake's poem seemed more apt: 

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright   
In the forests of the night,   
What immortal hand or eye   
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? 

It was one of the first poems that Lex had ever learnt, and how often it ran through his mind when he watched Clark, and not just for wondering, 

"In what distant deeps or skies   
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?" 

Lex often wondered about the distant deeps that gave birth to the most miraculous being he had ever met, and no-one could deny the fire of his eyes - both physical and metaphorical. Lex always felt his temperature rise when those beautiful eyes were focused on him, but it was the entirety of his lover's being, so completely and utterly a fearful symmetry, that took his breath away. 

Clark reached one of the dance floors, and eyes closed, began to flow with the beat of the music. Lex mirrored his moves, but stayed far enough way so he could fully appreciate watching that sensational body twist and glide in complete abandon. But sure enough, within minutes Clark had attracted interest and much as he adored watching his lover, there was no way he was hanging back now that the moths were fluttering around Clark's flame. He stepped forward, and in one sensual move wrapped himself around Clark's back, easily matching every twist and turn as they danced together in perfect harmony. 

The beat changed, a subtle shift, and riding its demands Lex swung round so that he and Clark were facing, arms wrapped tightly around each other. They never missed a beat of the music, long practice enabling them move together almost as one being. Waiting for the kiss was exquisite torture. Lex's eyelids fluttered closed and then, just when he was desperate enough to reach up and take what he so badly wanted, Clark's lips were on his, tongue seeking entry. Lex willingly gave it access, and was consumed by a hot, demanding, kiss that reached to the depths of his very soul. Had he not been held by Clark's strong arms, he would have collapsed. Never had he known such intensity, never had he felt such raw power, as in that kiss. At that moment Lex knew his instincts had been right to come to the club. Clark needed this emotional release just as much as they would both need the physical release their bodies would demand when they were alone in their apartment. Lex let Clark have control, but there was nothing passive about his response. He might not have suffered the fear that his partner was dead as Clark had that summer, but he had still suffered the pain of separation, and this shared passion was something they both needed to reassure themselves that yes, they really were together again. 

Clark was the first to break away. 

"Let's go. Now." 

Lex needed no persuading and gave Clark a little push in the direction of the elevator. Once inside Lex keyed the security code even as Clark was nibbling his neck, and once the doors closed he gave him his full attention. They stumbled out of the elevator and somehow made it to the bedroom without falling flat on their faces. 

Clark was murmuring a litany of 'love you Lex' as he nibbled, licked and sucked every bit of skin that he could reach. The wig was the first thing to go, and then Clark gently lifted the dress up, stroking and caressing every part of his lover's body as he raised the silk. The dress had been designed to give Lex the appearance of having small, firm breasts without having to resort to a padded bra. Clark's adoration of his body was incredibly sensuous and erotic, and Lex loved it. Once the dress had been disposed of, Clark stood back and let his gaze travel hungrily from Lex's feet to the top of his head. He felt like he was being consumed, the raw need in Clark's eyes sparking a burning desire deep within his own soul. 

"Fuck, you are gorgeous," breathed Clark. "I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life." 

Lex felt incredibly loved. No-one but Clark could make him feel like this. He slipped the thong off, and was about to remove his shoes and stockings when Clark's hand stopped him. 

"No, leave them on." 

The husky voice sent shivers up his spine. He gave Clark what he called his 'come hither' look, and slowly moved back towards the bed. Clark followed him, matching step for step until they were standing only inches apart. The silver mesh top came off quickly, and Lex walked around Clark, luxuriating in the physical perfection of his lover. Clark closed his eyes, waiting patiently. 

Lex wanted to touch and taste everything, but his body was demanding release, his cock dribbling in anticipation. He unlaced the front of Clark's leather pants, and kneeling before the shrine of his love, he opened his mouth and worshipped the god standing so proudly before him. He was distantly aware of a gasp, and felt strong hands grip his shoulders. Swallowing, and then swallowing again, he managed to take all of his lover, and massaged him to the edge of orgasm. When he felt Clark go very still, he gave one hard suck, and then he was engulfed in warm, sticky cum. He managed to take all of it, only a small amount dribbling down his chin as he gently released the now limp cock. Clark pulled him to his feet and licked him clean before thrusting his tongue into Lex's willing mouth. As they kissed, Lex tugged at Clark's leather pants getting them as far as his knees. He pushed Clark onto the bed, and then pulled off his boots, quickly followed by the leather pants. Naked, and all his. 

Using the lube to coat his now throbbing cock, Lex knelt between his lover's knees, and with an ease that showed long familiarity, positioned himself to penetrate the hot, tight, passage to mutual bliss. Clark never needed anything to make him ready to accept this; he couldn't be injured, and yet Lex knew that his lover felt every thrust, every tremor, every moment of passion, just as strongly as he did himself. Gently pressing forward he slipped inside. Clark wrapped his legs around him, and pulled him further. Ball-deep inside his lover, he remained motionless for several seconds, and then when he could bear it no longer, he started to move. Slowly at first, with long, deep thrusts, but then as the tension built he began to thrust more urgently. Clark started to make little whimpering sounds, and that was Lex's cue to drive as hard and as fast as he could. He felt the heat building as if it was coiled in his solar plexus, like a spring waiting for release. There was no holding back now, and every thrust was accompanied with a grunt as he fucked harder and faster, until that moment when the coiled spring was released, and he shot the hot, warm essence of his masculinity into his lover. 

Lex had once asked Clark if he thought a man could fly; every time they made love he had his answer. Clark made him fly. He gently withdrew, and then they wrapped their arms around each other and drifted into a sated, blissful sleep. 

Chapter Five 

Martha stared at the ceiling of their room. Sleep had eluded her for most of the night, and now that it was getting light outside she didn't even bother trying anymore. 

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" 

She hadn't realized Jonathan was awake, but she supposed his night hadn't been much more restful than her own. 

"I honestly don't know Jon, it's all too much to take in. I don't know how I feel." 

"Look, whatever happens today, he's still our son and we still love him, right? We can deal with it." 

"You're a good man," she said, smiling at him, "and yes, I hope he's still our son, but honestly Jonathan, that man we saw last night? He was a stranger to me. I always thought that Clark did things during the summer that he was ashamed or scared to tell us about, but seeing him last night... I don't know. For the first time in my life he actually felt completely alien to me. Even with all his powers I never felt so excluded from his life before. I have to wonder if he said nothing about what he did in the summer because he doesn't consider us important anymore. Maybe he's moved on, and we're just not a part of his life now." 

"Oh honey, I don't think so. I don't think Clark would ever consider you to be unimportant." 

Martha wanted to believe him, she wanted to believe in her son, but there were too many unexplained facts. A club called Planet Krypton? Owned by Clark? A personalized license plate on a car that was probably worth as much as the farm? His obvious relationship with Lex Luthor, and, oh yeah, Lex dressed as a woman. Her head hurt just thinking about it all. 

"Come on sweetheart, let's get dressed and have some breakfast." Jonathan gave her a hug, and then headed off to the bathroom. "We can pack and load the truck before that driver comes to collect us," he called out over his shoulder. "That will give us something to do so we don't go entirely crazy while we wait for him to get here." 

Even so, the morning dragged, each minute seeming as long as an hour. They had to vacate their room by 10 a.m., and were packed and loaded by ten past. They went for a walk, and when they tired of walking, they settled into the hotel coffee shop. They talked of mundane things, farm things, Smallville things... anything as long as it wasn't about Clark or Lex Luthor. By 12 noon they were in the lobby, and when the sleek black Mercedes pulled into the forecourt at 12:20 p.m., they were waiting outside. 

The hotel concierge opened the back passenger door for them, and as soon as they were seated, the car purred swiftly away. 

"Good afternoon," said Bernard, "I hope you slept well?" 

Martha gave him a sharp look, but she realized he was just being the polite employee. It was small talk, nothing more. 

"Thanks, yes," she said, rolling her eyes at Jonathan so he could see she was amused at the pretense. 

"Are you on duty all the time?" asked Jonathan. "I mean last night you dropped us off pretty late, and here you are again Sunday lunchtime." 

"Not all the time. I have regular hours except when Mr. Alexander is in Metropolis, and then it's 24/7." 

"That seems pretty harsh," said Martha. 

"Not at all," Bernard shook his head. "I get paid above average for standard hours, and Mr. Alexander doesn't make a lot of demands on my time. It's a sweet deal, I'm very happy with it. The job I had before, the guy was an absolute bast-- er, excuse me, he was not a nice guy at all, and when this job came up I was really lucky to get it." 

Martha mulled over that information as they turned into the lane that led to the parking garage. As soon as they were parked Bernard jumped out to open the door for them, and then led them to an elevator. 

"Please wait here, I need to get security to operate the elevator," he said, and walked over towards an office on the other side of the parking garage. 

Martha was getting nervous again now that they were almost there. She heard footsteps, and saw a uniformed security officer heading their way. He looked ex-military, and she felt distinctly uncomfortable at the sweeping glance he gave her and Jonathan. 

Everything had obviously been arranged as he swiped a card to open the elevator doors, and then swiped it again inside to reveal a key panel. He tapped out a code, and then stepped back as the doors whooshed shut. 

The elevator rose silently, and much sooner than she had expected came to a halt. The doors slid open, and they stepped out into a plush carpeted hallway. She gripped Jonathan's hand, nerves coming back in full force, and wondered what they should do now. As if the thought summoned him, Clark stepped out of a room a little way down the hall. He didn't say anything, but then what was there to say? Martha took a deep breath, and stepped forward to meet her son. Thankfully he was wearing jeans and a shirt, nothing like the exotic outfit he had on last night. He waited until they reached him, and then he stepped back to usher them into the room. It was a huge room, furnished with soft leather sofas and chairs and some beautiful artwork, but strangely, no windows. There was a lot of ambient lighting, but none of it was natural. 

As she looked around, Lex came into the room from another doorway, also dressed in his usual casual wear of silk shirt and lightweight slacks, thank God. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Kent, good to see you again," he said. Trust Lex always to make the correct social greeting, she thought to herself. And then they were all standing around like actors in a play, looking at each other waiting for whoever had forgotten his lines to speak up. 

Martha took a deep breath. OK, she could do this. "You promised us explanations Clark. I think we've been very patient in doing this your way, but it's time to talk to us. What. The. Hell. Is. Going. On?" Her voice quavered only slightly, but she bit off every word. Damn Clark, he was not going to get away with treating them like this and just pretend that nothing was the matter! 

"You're right," he agreed, "you do deserve explanations. Please, sit down. Can I get you anything to drink?" 

"Clark, we have probably drunk the coffee shop at the hotel dry this morning. Trust me, we do not need anything else to drink right now." 

She saw Lex give one of his characteristic smirks, and then walk over to a bar area where he got two bottles of water from the fridge. Sauntering over to Clark he handed one over, and then they both sat on one of the long couches. 

Martha tugged Jonathan over to the opposite couch. "Explanations Clark?" she said, as they sat down. 

"Right, explanations." Clark took a swig of water, and seemed to be conducting an internal debate if the expressions on his face were anything to go by. 

Martha's patience was almost at snapping point, and she had no idea how Jonathan was managing to restrain himself. 

"Clark! This is ridiculous! Talk to us!" 

"I will! I'm just trying to work out the best way to tell you, where to start!" 

Lex reached over and took Clark's hand. "How about we start with our relationship? That's what it all comes back to after all," he suggested. 

Martha definitely thought that starting with their relationship was a good idea, though she also hoped they would get to Planet Krypton and Clark's Lamborghini in due course. 

"Yeah, you're right... as usual." Clark grinned at Lex, and it was as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Martha hadn't realized how tense Clark was until she saw him relax. 

"Well, I guess you know that Lex and I are in a relationship. Last night couldn't have left you in any doubt about that." Clark paused, but Martha just nodded at him to continue. 

"Okay, well, what probably will surprise you is that we've been together for two years." 

**"WHAT?!"**

Jonathan dropped Martha's hand and surged to his feet. She grabbed him and pulled him back down again before he had time to move. 

The silence in the room was deafening. Martha kept a firm hold on Jonathan, but truthfully she was just as shocked and upset as he seemed to be. She just hadn't worked out what she wanted to say yet. Jonathan's 'what?!' covered it all at this point. 

Jonathan found his voice first. 

"I knew it! I knew there was something odd happening between you two! All those times I told you about the rumors that there was something going on between you and Luthor, and you just shrugged and told me to ignore it! All that time, you flat out lied to me and your mother!" 

"Yeah." 

"Yeah? Yeah?! Is that all you have to say?" Jonathan was going an ugly shade of red, and Martha squeezed his hand to give him a subtle hint to calm down. 

"Well, if you prefer I could ask why you're so surprised that I lied to you." 

Martha stared at her son. 

"Come on Mom, don't look like that. From the day you found me in the cornfield you taught me to lie about _everything_ that's important. I had to lie to my friends, to the rest of the family, to my teachers... hell, at times I wondered if I would recognize the truth if it bit me on the ass." 

Martha couldn't stop herself glancing over to Lex, to see how he was taking all this. His face gave nothing away, but then it never did. 

"I knew you wouldn't like it that Lex and I were together, and I wasn't prepared to risk him being called a pedophile, or charged with statutory rape or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, or any other nasty little blue law sitting on the Kansas statute books. And that was assuming Dad didn't just grab the shotgun and shoot him in a fit of temper." 

The deafening silence returned. 

"So you both just lied to us?" Martha couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice. 

"It's not so surprising, Mrs. Kent. You and Mr. Kent trained Clark to lie convincingly about almost everything in his life, and my father trained me not only to lie convincingly, but also how to manipulate people to make sure that I achieve my goals. If you think about it, there aren't two people on this planet more skilled at creating and maintaining a deception than Clark and I. Individually we are impressive, but together we make an incredibly formidable team." 

"But how did this whole relationship thing happen? I thought you were just friends. Close friends, but nothing more, and definitely not gay." There, she had said it. The word was out in the open. 

Clark shook his head. "I don't think I am gay," he said. "I'm not attracted to men as such, I'm in love with Lex, I just don't care what gender he is. And as I found out this summer, I'm a complete fucking mess without him." 

Martha winced at the f-word, but Clark didn't even seem to notice. 

"There was something between us from the moment I pulled Lex from the river and gave him the kiss of life, but the night after Earl's Level Three drama, I suddenly had a panic attack at how close I'd come to losing him. I was out in the barn, and it hit me so hard that I collapsed. I ran over to the Manor..." 

Martha couldn't stop a sharp intake of breath in surprise. 

"I never told you; I just had to make sure Lex was OK. Nothing happened between us - or at least, nothing sexual. I think it was pretty obvious that my feelings were stronger than they would be if he was just a friend, but I never said anything and neither did Lex." 

"I was surprised to see him, but I couldn't hide how relieved I was that he had come. So yeah, neither of us said anything but we both sensed a subtle shift in our relationship." 

Martha saw a beautiful smile spread across her son's face, he was obviously re-living some fond memories. 

"We kind of danced around each other after that; we'd always flirted with each other, but now it was closer and more exclusive than we had been before Level Three." 

Martha remembered that period well. Clark seemed to withdraw from all of them, but especially from his friends at school. Chloe and Pete both approached her and asked if she knew what was up with Clark, both saying versions of the same thing: that he was still talking to them, but he didn't seem to be there most of the time and had shut them out as effectively as if he had stepped behind a glass wall. She had known that he spent time with Lex, but hadn't made the connection between their friendship and Clark's distance from his old friends. Then they had the dreadful experience of Sam Phelan to deal with, and that drove everything else out of her mind. 

"Strangely enough, it was that slime ball Sam Phelan that finally brought us together." 

Martha blinked in surprise. It was almost as if Lex had read her mind. 

"How did he bring you together?" 

"I knew him from my Metropolis days, and I found out he was interested in Clark. That sure as hell was not going to end well, so I watched him. When he took Clark to Metropolis to steal Alexander's Breastplate, I followed them. As you know, Clark managed to set him up at the Museum and Phelan was shot when he resisted arrest. I hadn't seen Clark anywhere around but I had a feeling he was there, so I waited after everyone else had left, and sure enough he came out from where he'd been hiding. We talked, and for the first time we were both completely honest with each other. I told him about my past with Phelan, and he told me that he was an alien." 

"Oh my god Clark!" Martha felt as though her heart leapt to her throat. 

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever..." 

"Dad! Lex has known about me for two years. Sorry, but it's a little late to play the denial card." 

"Are you insane?! How could you have just told him your secrets when you barely knew him?!" 

Martha could completely understand Jonathan's anger. Two years ago Lex Luthor was a newcomer in their lives, and more to the point, someone they most definitely did not want anywhere near their son with his superhuman abilities. 

"Clark didn't have to tell me much, Mr. Kent. I'm very observant, and my degree was in biochemistry. I've been researching the chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms since I started college, and my thesis looked at the possibilities beyond carbon- and water-based biochemistry. Obviously all the life forms generally known about are terrestrial, but I couldn't keep seeing the impossible happening in front of my eyes and not question it. Putting two and two together wasn't that hard." 

"And you know what? Lex has kept me safe all this time. Without his skills and his commitment I don't know what would have happened to me." 

"Clark, he paid Hamilton to research the meteor rocks!" 

"I know Dad, and why do you think Lex did that? The more we know about them and how they affect me, the safer I'll be!" 

"Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent, you have to understand that the one thing I want above everything else is Clark's safety. You don't have to worry that I am going to do anything to put that at risk." 

Martha realized that Lex was trying to calm things down and ease the tension building between her son and her husband. Despite the circumstances she had to appreciate just what a skilled negotiator he was. She decided it was time to meet him half-way. 

"We accept that Lex," she said, "just give us time to get used to all this. Last night we were congratulating ourselves on getting past the events of the summer, and now suddenly we're trying to make sense of a world turned upside down." 

She watched Clark gently rubbing his thumb along Lex's wrist, and wondered if he was even aware that he was doing it. Seeing them together now she couldn't believe she had been so blind. How could she possibly have missed this level of attachment? She cleared her throat. 

"But what about Victoria? And Desiree? And Helen? How did they fit into the picture Lex?" 

"Victoria was a business relationship Mrs. Kent," said Lex. "She wasn't interested in anything more than in trying to maneuver me into a position so that she could make a move on my LuthorCorp stock. Victoria and I have known each other for years; we play each other like a game of chess." 

"Just for the record, I hated her." 

Lex chuckled, "Oh yeah. You made that abundantly clear." 

"I kept away from the manor while Victoria was there. Lex needed to let her think she was manipulating him, and the sound of my teeth gnashing every time she touched him was putting him off his game." 

"Desiree was a meteor mutant. I wasn't attracted to her, I was assaulted by a meteor-enhanced chemical that completely overrode my own willpower, and allowed Desiree to force me to do things I would never willingly do." 

Martha saw a quick glance pass between Lex and Jonathan, and wondered what she had missed during that particular episode. 

"Clark saved me. If he hadn't been there, she would not only have succeeded in getting me to sign over all my assets to her, she would have killed me as well. He knew that there was something bad going on, and he made sure that he got to the bottom of it and then just like the hero he is, he saved me." 

"Desiree had no idea that Lex and I were in a relationship, so she didn't realize there was anyone who would see what she was doing to him. Everyone else just saw a beautiful woman getting an amazing husband. She tried to manipulate me but I was immune to her. That confirmed that she was doing something to force Lex, I just had to make sure I worked it out before she got too far. I was almost too late." 

"The one thing I'm grateful for is that she never wanted me, only my money. It would have killed me to have to confess to Clark that I'd been unfaithful to him." 

Martha stared at him. 

"You look surprised Mrs. Kent?" 

"I suppose it never occurred to me that your relationship was so, well..." she stuttered to a halt, not really sure how to say it without sounding insulting. 

Lex gave her one of his cool looks, and she felt her face flush slightly in embarrassment. 

"Right. Well, then there was Helen." Lex paused, and looked at Clark. "We're both still a little wounded from Helen." 

"She played us. She was a bitch, but we were fools to let her play us." Clark sounded angrier than Martha had ever heard him. 

"It was my idea," admitted Lex. "I thought that if I had a trophy wife to trot out to corporate functions and divert attention away from my private life, then Clark and I would be able to relax." 

"Helen knew about us," continued Clark, "she saw us one afternoon when we thought we were alone. It's the only time we slipped up, and man did that come back to bite us." 

"Helen told me she knew about us, but that she understood the pressure of keeping our relationship a secret in a small town in Kansas, and that she wouldn't tell anyone. I was suspicious, but time went by and she seemed to keep her word, so I relaxed my guard. I even started to think that maybe Helen could be useful to us. I thought about offering her money to be my wife in name only - she could undertake whatever research she wanted, I would fund it, and she could live a great life. Clark was a little less enamored of the idea, but we talked about it and eventually he agreed it would be a way to keep the spotlight off us." 

"Unfortunately, not only was Helen greedy, she was also in partnership with Lionel." Clark looked grim. 

"What do you mean, in partnership with Lionel?" Martha feared she knew where this was headed, but she had to ask. 

"We don't really know the full story ourselves, but we've pieced a lot of it together. We have proof that she and Lionel knew each other, and Lex found out that Lionel paid her some very large sums of money." Clark paused, and then sighed. "You won't like this bit, but we're fairly sure that she sold my blood sample to Lionel." 

"We don't think either she or my Father knows about Clark being an alien..." 

Martha couldn't suppress a shudder when it dawned on her just how close they had come to disaster. They had trusted Helen too, the woman was obviously a master manipulator if should could fool all of them, especially Lex. She didn't want to dwell on that thought for too long, though. 

"You said that you believe Helen sold your blood to Lionel? What makes you think that?" 

Clark sighed, and shook his head slightly, "I think this is one of those things that's going to come under the heading of too much information." 

"No more secrets Clark, please, tell us what you think happened." Martha wasn't happy that she sounded like she was pleading, but she had to know. 

Clark gave her a calculating stare, and then shrugged. It was strange and more than a little disturbing to be on the receiving end of a look like that from her son. She was so used to his pretence of naive innocence that when he let the mask slip it was like getting a slap in the face. It was very unnerving that he could switch it on and off like that, not to mention the fact that he looked decidedly intimidating when the mask was off. 

"Right. Yeah. Well, while I was living in Metropolis I did some work for a guy who wanted me to steal something from Lionel. I didn't know until I broke into the safe that what I was stealing was my blood sample, the one that Helen took that time the spores made me ill." 

"She told me she'd disposed of that!" Jonathan spat out. 

"Well, she did I guess, but she disposed of it to Lionel and got a nice payment in return." 

Martha couldn't tear her eyes away from her son. Suspecting that he had been involved in illegal activities was one thing, but having it confirmed so casually was unbelievable. He didn't even seem to care that he'd done anything wrong! 

"Clark! You broke into Lionel's safe?!" She couldn't help it if she sounded appalled, she _was_ appalled. 

"Why do you think I didn't say anything? I knew what your reaction would be, and I didn't see the point in discussing it. Nothing you say can change what happened, so just let it go." 

She felt Jonathan stiffen, and jumped in before he could say anything. She was hurt by Clark's attitude, but they needed to keep the conversation away from ultimatums and threats, and if Jonathan let rip now she was pretty sure the discussion would be over. 

"Okay, okay, we'll let it go, but please, tell us what happened to your blood sample?" She was almost holding Jonathan down at this point. 

"Simple, after I realized what I had, I switched it with a blood sample I swiped from Metropolis General and gave that to Morgan. He never knew the difference. I kept my blood sample; Lex has it now." 

Martha closed her eyes. It was all too much. "Why didn't you just destroy it?" she said, sure she looked as confused as she felt. 

"I asked Lex to do some research on it, see if he could find out why green Kryptonite affects me so badly." 

Martha could understand the sense in that, but she didn't feel comfortable about it. "And have you discovered anything Lex?" 

"I'm still working on it," he said. "It's not easy trying to find out how one extra-terrestrial substance affects another. If it hadn't been for my research during my thesis I don't know if I would get anywhere at all, but fortunately I'm not starting from point zero." 

Martha nodded and closed her eyes again. It was still too much for her to absorb. 

"Are you sure I can't get you something to drink?" 

Martha opened her eyes to see Lex looking at her with some concern. At least one of them seemed to realize what a shock all this was. 

"We've got some food for lunch too, why don't we take a break?" he added. 

"Thank you Lex, that would be most welcome," she sighed. Whatever else happened in her life, Martha was sure that food and drink would always make things better. 

"We arranged it so that none of the staff would be here, so please excuse us for a moment while we get a few things from the kitchen. Clark? Give me a hand?" 

Martha was sure Lex was more than capable of doing whatever needed to be done, but yet again he demonstrated his exceptional ability to know exactly how to handle an awkward situation. She didn't know if he wanted to talk to Clark or just give her and Jonathan a few moments alone, but she was certain it was one, if not both, of those options. 

Chapter Six 

As soon as they were in the kitchen, Lex pulled Clark into a close embrace and held him tightly. 

"You're doing fine babe, just keep calm, and it will all be okay." 

"It doesn't feel fine Lex, it feels like I've been tried and judged and I'm just waiting for the execution to be carried out." 

Lex gently ran his hand up and down Clark's back, soothing and reassuring him. "I know, I know, but they've had a shock - several shocks in fact - and they just need some time to take it all in." 

"They just don't get it! Without you I would never have survived the last two years, but did you see the look on Mom's face when I said you had my blood? There's nowhere on this planet safer than with you, but she hates that you have it." 

Lex had expected the Kents to be distressed when it came out that he knew Clark's secrets, so their concern about him having the blood was no surprise. If it had been up to him he probably wouldn't have mentioned it, but he knew that Clark did so only because he thought it would reassure his parents. For a highly intelligent being, Clark could sometimes be unbelievably dense. 

"They'll get over it." He tried to sound reassuring, but he could see it wasn't exactly working. "Come on, take this stuff in there. Your Mom always handles things better when there's food on the table." 

That got a smile. 

Lex led the way back into their main room, and placed the trays of prepared food on the table. Clark followed with plates and napkins, and then disappeared into the kitchen again to get some jugs of juice. 

"Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent, please, help yourselves." 

He was relieved to see that they appeared to be a little calmer as they chose some food and filled their glasses, and decided that it would probably help things along if he continued with the story at this point. 

"As Clark said, Helen played us both, and I still can't believe we didn't see it coming. We'd known her for some time before I approached her with an offer of money in exchange for marrying me, but I should have known." 

"Lex, she fooled us both, you can't blame yourself." 

"I've been dealing with manipulative women - and men - my entire life Clark; I should have seen it coming." Lex still got a twist in his gut when he thought about it. 

"What happened, Lex?" Martha sounded concerned. 

"Well, you already know all the public stuff. We got engaged. Helen moved into the mansion, we had the rehearsal dinner, and then the wedding. What was kept secret was that Helen and I never had any kind of a relationship apart from a business arrangement. It was all for show, and after the wedding Helen was only going to spend enough time with me at the mansion to make it seem like a real marriage. The idea was that she would then move into a house or apartment that I would set up for her, and receive a very generous allowance for as long as she remained my wife in name." 

"So what went wrong?" 

"What went wrong Mom is that the fucking bitch betrayed us and tried to murder Lex!" 

"Clark!" 

"No! Don't even ask me to calm down over this; it's all too raw and painful still. I spent months fearing that Lex was dead. I never wanted to believe it, I couldn't make myself accept that I would never see him again, but still, he was gone." Clark stifled a sob. 

"Shush baby, it's OK, I'm here." Lex gripped Clark's hand, and gently wiped away a tear. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Kents shifting uncomfortably, possibly at Clark's outburst, possibly at his display of affection, but either way, he didn't really care. Clark needed him, and that was all that mattered. 

"Clark also planned to destroy the ship in the storm cellar while everyone was at the wedding, but as you know, that went spectacularly wrong too." 

"I did destroy the ship though; I'd had enough of Jor-El trying to manipulate me, and the final straw was when he demanded that I leave Smallville, and everyone I loved, to join him and carry out whatever plans he had for me. I begged, and pleaded; I told him how much Lex meant to me, but he just kept telling me I had no choice but to leave." 

"Wait, you told _Jor-El_ about your relationship with Lex?" Jonathan sounded more than a little pissed off. "How come you could tell him but not us?!" 

"Does it matter? He didn't care. He just wanted me to fulfill some Kryptonian legacy." 

Lex could see Jonathan building up for an outburst, so he quickly carried on with the story. 

"The idea was that Clark would destroy the ship, get to the wedding, do his Best Man duties, and then go with us to the LuthorCorp jet. I started to get anxious when he didn't show, and I think even Helen was a little perturbed by it. At the time I thought she genuinely cared for Clark and was worried that something had happened to him. Now I realize it was just that she feared it might mean some kind of hitch in her plan. Anyway, we decided to go ahead with the wedding and I hoped that Clark would meet us at the hangar. When there was no sign of him there either and I couldn't get a response on his cell phone I was frantic with worry, but Helen persuaded me to carry on with the pretend honeymoon. We'd planned for Helen to go elsewhere once we arrived at our destination, so I let myself be persuaded that Clark's absence was no more than an unavoidable delay and that he would still meet me at the hotel as planned." 

"What do you mean, meet you at the hotel as planned? Clark never gave us any indication that he would be joining you on your honeymoon! How the hell did you intend to get away with that?!" 

"It's easy Dad, once you go to bed - and you go to bed pretty early - you never know where I am. I don't need sleep like humans do and it only takes me seconds to get anywhere on the globe. I was just going to be with Lex as often as I could without anyone noticing I was gone." 

"Jeezus", muttered Jonathan, shaking his head. 

"I will never forgive myself for letting Helen persuade me to leave without Clark. If I'd listened to my instincts she would never have succeeded, but I just let her manipulate me into doing what she wanted. I still can't believe I let her do it." 

"Hey, it's OK. She tricked us both, you're not to blame." 

"I should have realized something was up," insisted Lex. 

"Hey, it wasn't your fault, OK?" Clark pulled Lex into his arms, gently kissing his temple. 

Lex had almost forgotten the Kents were there, but his attention was brought back to them when Jonathan got up to refill his glass with juice. Lex assumed he was uncomfortable (again) with the display of affection between them, but there was no way he was rejecting Clark's comforting embrace. He drew strength from it in a way he couldn't begin to describe. 

"All we heard about the crash is that the plane went down, Lex, was that what really happened?" asked Martha. 

"More or less, but that story omits the fact that Helen drugged my coffee, and once I was unconscious, she and the pilot sabotaged the plane, taking the only parachutes as they made their escape." 

Martha gasped in shock. "Oh Lex, what a terrible thing to do to anyone, let alone someone you're supposed to care about." 

"Oh she never cared about anyone but herself, there's no doubt about that. Strangely enough though, the fact that she drugged me probably saved my life, because when the plane hit the water I was loose and relaxed, and didn't try to brace myself against anything. That would probably have killed me." 

Clark abruptly stood up. 

"I can't do this. I can't sit here casually discussing this. Lex is my lover, my soul mate, my best friend. I'm sorry, I just can't do it." By the time he finished speaking Clark was halfway out of the room, and seconds later there was a muffled slam of a door closing. 

"Clark Kent, get back here this minute!" shouted Jonathan. 

"Wait, let him go," said Lex. He understood Jonathan's anger, but he was not going to stand by and see his lover harassed. 

"What the... I'm not going to sit patiently waiting here while he has a temper tantrum!" 

"Yes, you are." Lex gave Jonathan a look that gave absolutely no leeway. "And it's not a temper tantrum. You really have no idea how broken up he's been over this. I almost died in that plane crash, but Clark almost died of a broken heart right here in Metropolis." 

"Lex, we had no idea this was happening, you can't blame us for thinking that Clark is just displaying a fit of temper." 

"I don't Mrs. Kent, but you also have to understand that Clark isn't over it yet, and it really upsets him to talk about it. He'll deal with it in his own way, but in the meantime you have to give him some space." 

Martha sighed, but nodded her agreement and Lex knew that Jonathan would follow her lead. 

"Let me finish this off quickly before he comes back," said Lex. "The details of my rescue are fairly common knowledge, and accurate as far as it goes. As soon as I was conscious again I got in touch with Clark. He said earlier that he was a complete fuck-- uhh sorry, freaking mess without me, but that's not quite accurate. He was certainly mentally unstable, so in that sense he was a mess, but he channeled his grief into... well, a few different projects, and he achieved an incredible amount in a short space of time." 

"Lex, none of those things he achieved were exactly legal, were they?" 

He gave Martha a considering look, wondering how much she wanted the truth and how much she wanted to be reassured. He decided to give her the truth. 

"Some of them were legal. This club is legal, and he bought his penthouse apartment and cars in the usual way, but you're right, a lot of the things he did were most definitely not legal." 

"Lex, how can this club be legal when Clark isn't even old enough to drink in this State, let alone own an adults-only club?!" 

Damn, Martha was too sharp sometimes. Lex hadn't really wanted to get into this with them, but he didn't have too many options. Fuck, it would have to be the truth again. 

"We had a new birth certificate made up. It confirms I'm 21 years old." Clark walked back into the room looking a lot calmer than he had when he left it. 

"Wait a minute, you said 'we' - how could it be 'we' if you were here on your own?" Martha looked puzzled. 

"We did it almost two years ago, Mom, when we first started our relationship. Even though we kept it a secret, I was scared that someone would find out and Lex would end up being charged with something because I was a minor. So, I stole the adoption papers and Lex arranged for a new birth certificate for me." 

"You STOLE the papers? From us? Dammit Clark, stealing from your own parents? What the hell got into you?" 

Jonathan glared at Clark, who stared back at him impassively, and then shrugged. 

"We couldn't risk it Dad, we had to have a back up plan just in case." 

"Clark, you do understand that what you did was wrong, don't you?" Martha pleaded. 

"It wasn't wrong," insisted Clark, "what would have been wrong would have been to leave Lex in danger of being arrested if anyone ever discovered us." 

"And it never occurred to you that lying and stealing just so that you and Lex could fuck each other was wrong?!" Jonathan snapped. 

Lex didn't want the discussion to drift into an argument about the rights and wrongs of what they did, so he stepped in and eased things down again. Never had he been more grateful for the years he spent in honing his negotiating skills. Ironic really that Lionel Luthor had provided him with exactly the right training to deal with his male lover's antagonistic father. 

"If our relationship had been no more than sex then perhaps I would agree with you, but it's not. Clark and I fell in love, deeply in love, and when you love someone you do everything in your power to protect that person. Legality and morality become flexible if they get in the way of protecting that person." 

Lex didn't want to be antagonistic, but he was too well-trained to pull any punches in verbal debate, and he decided he might as well go for the kill. "After all, isn't that exactly what you both did when you let Lionel arrange the original false documentation so that you could adopt Clark?" 

The Kents looked profoundly uncomfortable, but said nothing. 

"Apart from which," added Clark, "as I said earlier, you were the ones who taught me to lie about everything, why be surprised that I'm so good at it?" 

"And I suppose lying and stealing is how you got the money to buy this club and your car, and everything else you have here?" snapped Jonathan. 

Clark stared back at his Father, eyes cold, expression challenging. 

"I didn't buy this club, it was part payment for some work I did for someone, but otherwise yeah, that's pretty much how I got everything." 

"Part payment Clark? What on earth did you do to earn that sort of money?" 

Lex wasn't sure that Martha was really ready for the answer to that question, but he left it up to Clark to decide what to say. 

"Ironically, it was for stealing my blood from Lionel. Morgan ended up with a vial of blood taken from some homeless guy at the hospital, and I ended up with this club and a nice lump sum of cash that Lex has invested for me." 

Lex shut his eyes and hoped that Clark wasn't grinning like an idiot. He agreed with Clark that it was ironic and more than a little amusing how things had worked out, but he doubted the Kents would share their view on it all. 

"God, you think that's funny?!" 

Yep, thought Lex, Clark is grinning like an idiot. Damn. 

"Don't you?" Clark sounded genuinely bewildered. 

Lex to the rescue once more. "Mr. Kent, I can't be upset that Clark removed his blood from Lionel's possession, nor that it was replaced with a normal sample. Whatever Lionel or Morgan Edge believe they have, it isn't Clark's blood and that's what's important to us. 

"Of course Lex, we can see that," said Martha, "but we are concerned that Clark is in danger for another reason, that his activities during the summer might yet come back to haunt him. Forgive us if we don't see the humor in that scenario." 

"There's very little chance of anyone connecting me with anything illegal," said Clark. 

"What about this man you worked for, supposing he turns on you?" 

Lex had to agree it was a fair question. Martha would have made a great lawyer if she'd ever practiced. Of course, she didn't have all the facts about Morgan Edge. 

"He's dead. He's not going to bother anyone, and none of his associates knew I was working for him. Morgan was far too keen to exploit my abilities himself to let slip even a hint of what I could do." 

Lex could see Martha desperately wanted to ask how Edge had died, but was struggling not to give voice to the question in case she didn't like the answer. Interesting. He would have bet his Trust Fund that before today, Martha wouldn't even have considered the possibility of Clark killing anyone. He didn't want to leave that fear to fester however, so he put her mind at rest. 

"Edge double-crossed Lionel in some way," he said. "We don't know the details, just that there was a shooting down by the docks and Edge was killed." 

Martha looked relieved, and then contrite. Lex assumed it had occurred to her that although Clark was innocent of the death of Edge, Lionel had to have been involved to some degree. 

"It's alright Mrs. Kent, I resigned myself a long time ago to the fact that my Father is somewhat ruthless when he's threatened." 

"And I suppose you want us to believe that you're not ruthless?" Jonathan scoffed. 

"Oh no, far from it," he smiled. "The difference is though that my Father is ruthless when _he's_ threatened, whereas I am ruthless when _Clark_ is threatened." 

Chapter Seven 

Jonathan closed his eyes, and wished himself almost anywhere but listening to this conversation. Lex had all but admitted that he had no boundaries where Clark was concerned, and Clark was clearly just as obsessed with the Luthor boy. God help anyone who ever threatens either of them, he thought, and then caught his breath as he followed that idea through to its logical conclusion. 

Jonathan looked up to see a pair of slate blue eyes regarding him rather coolly, face as impassive and unreadable as ever. It was a complete mystery to him how Clark could ever have become entangled with this strange, disturbing, man. Perhaps more astonishing though was that Clark had apparently captured Lex's heart and soul. Of course Clark had always been able to wrap him and Martha around his little finger but to get underneath the defenses of the Luthor heir, well, Jonathan really had no idea how that had happened. But there was no point avoiding the inevitable. He may not be enjoying the conversation, but he wanted all the answers, not just the palatable ones. He cleared his throat. 

"What happened with the ship, son? When you blew it up?" 

He saw a brief spasm of pain flicker across Clark's face. "Pretty much what I've already told you, except I didn't mention before that it was Lex who stole the Kryptonite key from Lionel. I put it into the ship hoping it would destroy it, but I had no idea the explosion would be so severe or that I would be unconscious for so long. By the time I came round, the wedding was over and the plane had left the hangar. I kept trying to call Lex on his cell but I couldn't get a signal. I was nearly out of my mind in worry by this time." 

Jonathan watched the emotions flickering across his son's face; pain, fear, anguish, one after the other. Clark visibly collected himself, and almost like a shroud falling over him, the mask slipped back into place. Jonathan had never really understood until that moment that the face Clark usually presented to the world, even to his parents, was a fake, a sham facade that he hid behind. It was disconcerting to realize how little he really knew about his alien son. 

"I headed back to the farm, and that was when I discovered you and Mom in the truck. I called 911, and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Then, while I was waiting in the hallway, I heard the news that Lex's plane had gone down. I couldn't think straight, all I wanted to do was make sure that Lex was safe. I tried to find out where the plane went down, but no-one seemed to know anything. The pilot hadn't lodged a flight plan, and no-one knew where the wreckage was. I just snapped. It was like I fractured into pieces." 

"I thought you ran away because you were upset about the baby," whispered Martha. 

"I was upset about the baby Mom, truly, but Dad didn't want me in the room with you guys, and Lex was missing. Lex was missing! Do you get what that did to me? I was in such pain, I had to do something. I remember thinking that I could destroy Smallville; that it might make me feel better, but you know why I didn't? I couldn't be bothered. Lex was gone, so nothing else mattered. Why go to the trouble of destroying Smallville when Lex wasn't there with me?" 

"God Clark, we had no idea!" Martha sounded as horrified as Jonathan was feeling. All this time he'd thought that he'd driven Clark away, or that Clark felt guilty about causing the accident that killed the baby. It was a shock to learn that Clark was devastated because Lex was missing, not just because of their pain at losing the baby. 

"Without Lex I just lost it, I didn't care about anything. I blamed myself that you lost the baby, and I thought you would be relieved to see the back of me. I knew that I couldn't tell you why losing Lex on top of everything else just tipped me over the edge. Getting high on red Kryptonite was, strangely enough, what saved me and kept me sane; well, relatively sane anyway. It gave me enough freedom from my pain that I could function within certain defined parameters. Outside of those parameters though - well, let's just say that I caused a lot of damage to people who tried to force me to do something I really didn't want to do..." 

"Like Lana and Chloe?" 

"No, not like Lana and Chloe, Mom. They walked away unscathed from our encounters; maybe a little upset, but I didn't hurt them physically." 

"Clark, Chloe showed me the bruises where you grabbed her." 

"Mom, trust me; compared to what I did to other people, a few bruises don't even count. I had to get rid of her before I did something I might regret, and you know Chloe, she wouldn't take no for an answer. So, I grabbed her and pushed her outside. She had no right following me home in the first place." 

"She was worried about you son, we all were." 

Clark just shrugged. 

"Do we even want to know what you did to other people?" Jonathan really didn't want to ask that question, but he'd decided earlier that he wanted the whole truth, no matter how unpalatable it might be. 

"No, I don't think you do," said Clark. "It's not something you want to hear, and it's not something I particularly want to talk about." 

"Clark did what he had to do to keep himself safe, Mr. Kent. Let it go at that, please." 

Jonathan had wondered how long it would be before Lex intervened; seeing them together, as a couple, it was obvious that they both had a strong protective urge for each other. As soon as one of them became disturbed, the other stepped in. It made for a formidable partnership, but Jonathan couldn't help being concerned that humankind wasn't yet ready for such an alliance; in fact might never be ready for such an alliance. Individually either one of them could possibly rule the world, but together nothing would be able to stand against them. 

"Alright, I will," agreed Jonathan, "but while we're wading knee deep in sensitive subjects, let me ask about Helen. Where is she? You said she parachuted from the plane, so you have to have located her to know that." 

"She can't hurt either of you, can she?" added Martha. 

"No Mom, she can't hurt either of us. She won't hurt anyone ever again, trust me on that." 

Jonathan felt a shiver run up his spine at the ice in his son's voice. Much as he wanted full disclosure on the events of the summer, his gut was screaming at him to let it drop. The implication of Clark's reassurance was glaringly obvious, and he wasn't sure if he could hear the truth and not turn from his son in horror. 

He saw Lex watching him, mask in place, giving nothing away, but a flicker in those cool slate eyes revealed hidden emotion if you were looking for it. Jonathan suddenly realized that this was one of those pivotal moments that occur from time to time. Like when they found toddler Clark after the meteor shower, or when he came back to them at the end of the summer. How he reacted now would have a lasting and significant effect on all their lives. If he wanted to protect his son, keep him safe, then he had to let it go. If he pushed now, then it would all be over. He didn't know how he knew that with such conviction, simply that it was so. It wasn't so much a decision to be made as a certainty to be acknowledged and accepted. 

Chapter Eight 

Clark could see the exact moment that his Dad realized what was at stake here. Something in the eyes, the tightness around his mouth, and the way he looked at Lex, clues that someone who didn't know Jonathan Kent might miss, but were clearly visible to his son. 

He waited. He wanted to stay on good terms with his parents, more grateful to them than they realized that they had taken him in and raised him with such love, but this was something he couldn't control. It was their choice; he just had to live with it. 

Lex squeezed his hand, as ever completely on the same page as Clark, knowing exactly what this moment was all about. 

"Okay son, I won't push. If you say she won't hurt you, then I believe you. I don't need to know any more than that." 

Clark released a tension he hadn't realized was there, and gave his parents one of his brilliant smiles. For the first time since he had seen them in the club last night he felt as though they were back on track, and he was very relieved about that. 

"There's not much else to tell you, really. As soon as I heard from Lex I finished up my business here in Metropolis and came back to the farm. Lex and I picked up where we left off, but we've been discussing when to come out as a couple." 

"The experience with Helen scarred us both badly, and made us realize that we really didn't care if the world approved of us or not, nothing was going to get between us again." 

Clark could see his parents mulling that over. 

"We would have spoken to you first", he assured them, "but no more pretend wives or trying to hide what we mean to each other." 

"Clark has to graduate from school, and we probably won't make any announcements before that happens, and in the meantime we can go out as a couple like we did last night and no-one will know." 

"I must admit it was a shock to see Clark with such an elegant woman, but not half the shock it was to discover it was actually you, Lex" said Martha. "I suppose the tall elegant brunette we've all heard about in the papers is Clark?" 

Clark tried to hide his grin, but it was impossible. "Yeah, that's me," he admitted. "We've had a lot of fun with that, people trying to find out who she is. There's a hint in her name - that was Lex's idea. He sometimes calls me "CK", so when the journalist asked for her name the first time we were spotted, Lex told him it was Cique; I don't know how I kept a straight face!" 

"It was funny," agreed Lex, "but around Smallville, we're going to remain 'just good friends' until after Clark graduates." 

"And then what? We've always hoped you would go on to college." 

"Uhh, yeah Mom, about that..." Clark hesitated; he wasn't sure how to explain this. 

"Don't you want to go to college?" 

"Mrs. Kent, it isn't that Clark doesn't want to go to college, it's just that he's already completed a college degree. He did it off campus, mostly using online resources. He got accepted on the basis of his high scores in admission tests, and a little subtle pressure from LuthorCorp to ignore things like absent SATs and high school graduation records. I also paid the fees, and he completed the entire course within twelve months. He graduated last year." 

"Clark?! You've done a college degree? Without even telling us? How the hell did you manage that?" 

"Well like I said before Dad, I don't need sleep like humans do, and my brain works a lot faster, so it wasn't really that hard." 

"What did you study? Journalism? I know you've always been interested in that." 

"Uhh, no Mom, not exactly." God how was he going to explain this? Thankfully, Lex came to his rescue once more. 

"Clark did a degree in Theoretical Astrophysics. His thesis looked at how hypervelocity stars can provide an insight into the existence of dark matter, the presence of which can only be detected through its gravitational pull on normal matter. Dark matter is thought to make up about 20 per cent of the universe, according to the latest observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation, yet we know almost nothing about it. Hypervelocity stars could help change that. Clark's research was truly groundbreaking." 

Clark was tensed for the reaction, but no-one said a word. He glanced at his parents, but they were just staring at him. 

"It wasn't that hard..." 

"Clark! I understood about one word in ten in what Lex just said, and that was just the layman's explanation. How on earth - if you'll excuse the phrase - did you ever explain to your lecturers how you could handle such a complex subject at your age? And keep out of the media? You're exhibiting child prodigy skills here!" 

"Mom, Mom, it's OK. Don't panic. They think I'm 21 remember? And there are a lot of smart people working in this field. And I have published, but it's not under the name of Clark Kent, I used Alexander Clark. If I carry on and do a Masters or doctorate, then that's the name I'll use. Clark Kent will still fly under the radar, don't worry." 

"Don't worry? But aren't you worried about slipping up and revealing who you really are?" 

"Well, that's the question, isn't it? Who Am I? Really, I mean, who am I? Am I Clark Kent, 17 year old high school boy who gets Bs and Cs so that he doesn't appear to be too bright in class? Or am I Alexander Clark, who is apparently a brilliant Theoretical Astrophysicist? Or maybe I'm Kal Alexander, the darling of Metropolis's underworld and owner of the hottest club in town. Perhaps I'm really Cique, the elegant brunette who keeps Lex Luthor company? Or then again maybe I'm nothing more than Kal-el, the alien from Krypton. You tell me, who do you think I am?" 

Clark tried hard not to sound bitter, but there was an edge to his voice that he couldn't moderate. 

"You're my soul mate, my lover, and my best friend, that's who you are," said Lex. 

"And you're our son," added Martha. "Honey, we don't care about all those things. We just want you to be happy. We were surprised about your degree, but not upset about it. We're proud of you, and we would have liked to share in that achievement. Please don't think you have to hide anything like that from us again." 

"Although I would be just as happy never to hear any more about Kal Alexander, the darling of Metropolis's underworld and owner of the hottest club in town," added Jonathan, "and I'm not sure if I'll ever be ready to hear anything about Cique if you don't mind." 

Clark felt an enormous load lifted off his shoulders, one he hadn't even been aware he was carrying. 

"Dad, I promise Cique will never darken your doorstep," he grinned, "and I'm pretty sure that Kal Alexander is going to be living a quiet life in future." 

"So, you're going to come back to the farm? Carry on as best we can?" 

"Yeah Mom, I'm going to come back to the farm, but only until Lex and I come out as a couple, and then I'll move into the mansion." 

"Until then, Clark and I are going to continue our relationship, in private, just as we have been over the last two years. We're still talking about the when and where of coming out, but in the meantime we're still a couple, albeit only in private, and we're going to do things together just as we always have." 

"We understand that Lex, don't worry. We haven't known any of this was happening for two years, I daresay we can remain ignorant until you and Clark make your relationship public." 

Clark was impressed anew at how well his mother could adapt to just about anything life threw at her. He supposed that having adopted and raised an alien son she could take a lot in her stride. Considering what she'd had to absorb this afternoon, she was doing exceptionally well. His Dad too, much to his surprise. 

"Son, I have to ask. Why do you even want to finish high school if you have a college degree?" 

"Alexander Clark has a degree, Dad. Clark Kent is still in high school and yeah, maybe Clark _would_ like to study journalism or some other non-scientific subject after he graduates. Lex and I both think it would be useful and practical for me to keep Clark Kent in character, and Clark is still in high school. Who knows what's going to happen in the future, but at the moment we are just letting things play out." 

Clark was pleased to see that his Mom and Dad seemed to accept his explanation, or at least, didn't challenge it. He could give them time. Even though his heart and soul belonged to Lex, he still loved his parents and wanted them to be happy. 

"Do any of your friends know about your relationship, or well, any of this?" 

Clark shook his head. "We kept this from everyone Mom. The only person who knew about my relationship with Lex was Jor-El, and that was only because he was pushing me so hard. Chloe and Lana both came across me in Metropolis, but they only know that I didn't want them around. They have no idea what I was doing here. I don't know what, if anything, they've told Pete. The subject of my Metropolis summer just doesn't get raised. As far as Lex and I are concerned, everyone in Smallville thinks we are just close friends. The rumors that we're something more have always been there, but no-one knows anything for a fact." 

"Well sweetie, this has been an interesting afternoon," she sighed, "but we'd better be getting back to Smallville. We've left the truck at the hotel, can you get your driver to take us back there, Clark?" 

"Of course, I'll take you down to the parking garage." 

"When will you be home?" 

Clark glanced at Lex, and quickly interpreted his look. 

"Probably a few hours behind you. We have a few things to finish up, and then we'll drive back. Lex can drop me at the farm." 

"I'll see you later, Mr. and Mrs. Kent." 

Clark gave his lover a quick hug and then led his parents down the corridor to the elevator. They passed the quick journey in silence, and as the doors whooshed open, he led them over to the car where Bernard was waiting to usher them into their seats. 

"Bernard, please take Mr. and Mrs. Kent back to their hotel." 

"Yes sir." 

"After that I have no further need of you, take the rest of the day off." 

"Thank you sir, I appreciate that." 

Clark nodded, and then turned to his parents. He didn't want them to display any familiarity with him in front of Bernard, so he stepped back and said, "Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent. Thank you for coming, I hope you have a good trip home." 

"Um, yes, thank you Mr. Alexander, and for arranging for the lift back to the hotel." 

"No problem, have a good journey home." 

Clark turned on his heel and made his way back to the elevator. Instinctively acting in character, he didn't even watch his parents get into the car. After all, Kal Alexander was a wealthy Metropolis club owner, and Kal Alexander didn't offer affection to anyone except his lover. 

* * *

Note on the title of the story:   
The authentic life cultivates a mutually affirming human relationship that breaks down isolation and allows for true interpersonal contact between two people. Whereas the artificial life leaves one alone and empty, the authentic life fosters strength through solidarity and comfort through empathy. (Commentary on The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy) 


End file.
